# Are all RH Beads the same??????



## RKiguana (Sep 28, 2013)

OK... so I am bit confused when it comes to RH Beads. I ordered a batch from amazon called called QualityRH beads. What I got was beads mixed with bead fragments and what almost looked like salt (could have just been really fine fragments). These beads fizzed when I sprayed them with distilled water. Next I tied beads (also from Amazon) called CigarCaddy. To my surprise these beads nearly doubled in size when wet and kind of felt like gel or fish eggs. I now placed an order from heartfelt but have not received them yet. 

Soooooo will they be: 
A. Salty 
B. Fish Eggy 
C. None of the above or
D. All of the Above

Also what is the difference and which kind (or brand) is recommended?

Thank You in advance!!


----------



## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

IMO there is only one genuine retailer of humidity beads. Heartfelt Industries. Dont know the source, all I know is they work, they don't fizz and they don't smell like fish eggs.

Heartfelt Industries, Heartfelt Cigar Humidor Humidity Beads, Heartfelt Beads, Humidors, Quality Cigar Accessories


----------



## RKiguana (Sep 28, 2013)

Thank you. They should arrive in a few days and hopefully they work for me. My salty beads are rated for 68% RH and they are holding at about 74-75% and my Fish Egg beads are in my larger humidor and they are rated for 70% and are holding around 73-74% (Xikar Hygrometer's calibrated with calibration bags as well as salt test with almost exact results +/- 1). Above 70% is too high for my liking. I actually ordered the Heartfelt beads in a 65% RH hoping to hit between 65-70%

Thanks again


----------



## earcutter (Aug 25, 2013)

I just ordered the 65's myself. I think we'll both be pleased. 

I am not going to speculate as to what you've had in the past - I'll just tell you what everyone here has told me, once using Heartfelt's beads rated 65rh, you'll never go back to other hydration methods lol.

I got some sheets too. Can't wait. Good luck.


----------



## imported_mark_j (Aug 18, 2013)

RKiguana said:


> Thank you. They should arrive in a few days and hopefully they work for me. My salty beads are rated for 68% RH and they are holding at about 74-75% and my Fish Egg beads are in my larger humidor and they are rated for 70% and are holding around 73-74% (Xikar Hygrometer's calibrated with calibration bags as well as salt test with almost exact results +/- 1). Above 70% is too high for my liking. I actually ordered the Heartfelt beads in a 65% RH hoping to hit between 65-70%
> 
> Thanks again


In my experience, 65% heartfelt beads will give you exactly 65%. I have 1/2 pound in a 200ct humi and the rh never moves.


----------



## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

I have the 65% beads in every thing and I stay between 64%-66%. They are so accurate you can darn near toss the hygrometer. I only leave one in so i know when its time to charge or dry them out depending on the need. From the sound of things you will most likely be able to toss them in as is to pull it down.


----------



## irie (Aug 29, 2013)

JustinThyme said:


> I have the 65% beads in every thing and I stay between 64%-66%. They are so accurate you can darn near toss the hygrometer. I only leave one in so i know when its time to charge or dry them out depending on the need. From the sound of things you will most likely be able to toss them in as is to pull it down.


This! Buying hearfelt beads was the best thing I have done for my cigars, they are literally fool proof.


----------



## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

HCM beads work in a completely different way that do the other beads. All the others use salts. I've had great success using them and recommend them highly. They are fast and extremely efficient.


----------



## RKiguana (Sep 28, 2013)

Great info everyone. I a looking forward to receiving my Heartfelt Beads. Thank god there is finally a product out there that is fool proof. I wish everything else was fool proof.


----------



## RKiguana (Sep 28, 2013)

I just watched this video and it made me laugh. Its a video called Boveda versus the competition. I would explain it but I think you would rather just watch it then read about it. The best part is that they have comments disabled because they know it would get ripped apart. Not saying there product sucks but... just watch

Sorry to make you have to find it on your own but it does not let me post links since I am new to this forum...

go to youtube and search *Boveda versus the competition*


----------



## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

That video is pretty funny. While I do like Boveda products Im not buying into a staged video. If they wanted such a pose to have any credibility it would have been better to let an unbiased party perform a test.


----------



## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Dear God...

1) There is no free lunch
B) You get what you pay for
3) There can be only one

Just get Heartfelt beads and be done with it so we can all move on and be happy.


----------



## mrnuke (Aug 24, 2013)

Herf N Turf said:


> Dear God...
> 
> 1) There is no free lunch
> B) You get what you pay for
> ...


What he said. Too many people are are abusing the internet to leech from the reputation of HF by selling either blank silica beads, or kitty litter. If you want to pioneer, then try all the products, run some lab tests, and let us know how they work, but if you just want to be safe, go with what Don said.


----------



## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Many of the lesser named brands found on amazon is repackaged siiica KL.....especially if it has blue specs in it..


----------



## mrnuke (Aug 24, 2013)

RKiguana said:


> go to youtube and search *Boveda versus the competition*


You mean this Boveda versus the competition - YouTube?
Boveda's test is obviously flawed, and intentionally so. Look at the hearfelt beads: all clear with a couple of droplets dripping. They oversaturated all the other products to get them to overhumidify. This experiment was performed under conditions which deliberately skewed the results.

On the bright side, just look at how fast HF beads got the humidity up .

EDIT: And that guy in the video reminds of that archaeologist in _The Mummy_.


----------



## RKiguana (Sep 28, 2013)

Just got my heartfelt beads today and am very excited. I ordered 70% and 65%. Since my humi is at 75% now with my knock off beads (which by the way are less then 50% clear now so they are pretty dry) I wanted to try to bring it down to 70% for a few weeks and then down to 65%. I heard that dramatic changes in humidity can case some wrappers to crack. I don't know if you can call 10% dramatic but why risk it. I put the beads in dry and the humidity seems to be dropping about a percent per hour. When it hits the magic mark of 70% I am going to partially charge them. Wish me luck


----------



## earcutter (Aug 25, 2013)

RKiguana said:


> Just got my heartfelt beads today and am very excited. I ordered 70% and 65%. Since my humi is at 75% now with my knock off beads (which by the way are less then 50% clear now so they are pretty dry) I wanted to try to bring it down to 70% for a few weeks and then down to 65%. I heard that dramatic changes in humidity can case some wrappers to crack. I don't know if you can call 10% dramatic but why risk it. I put the beads in dry and the humidity seems to be dropping about a percent per hour. When it hits the magic mark of 70% I am going to partially charge them. *Wish me luck*


Good luck !!!

Mine are on the way as well. I can't wait !


----------



## ShotgunLuckey (Jul 19, 2013)

I don't think you need to "partially charge" your HF beads. They will not pull the humidity down below 70%, just absorb the excess moisture being given off by the cigars and the wood of the humidor.


----------



## RKiguana (Sep 28, 2013)

ShotgunLuckey said:


> I don't think you need to "partially charge" your HF beads. They will not pull the humidity down below 70%, just absorb the excess moisture being given off by the cigars and the wood of the humidor.


Yeah, I think your right. Its at 71% now and "if it aint broke don't fix it" right? I will charge them when the RH starts to drop bellow 70%. My fear was that the fully dry beads would draw out the humidity from the cigars that they are near though. We shall see. I put some cheaper ones near the beads


----------



## mrnuke (Aug 24, 2013)

RKiguana said:


> My fear was that the fully dry beads would draw out the humidity from the cigars that they are near though.


They will, although it doesn't take much moisture to get them to 70%. If you were at 75% RH, by now the beads will have sucked up enough water to not go below 70%.


----------



## RKiguana (Sep 28, 2013)

That is good to know :smoke:


----------



## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

RKiguana said:


> Just got my heartfelt beads today and am very excited. I ordered 70% and 65%. Since my humi is at 75% now with my knock off beads (which by the way are less then 50% clear now so they are pretty dry) I wanted to try to bring it down to 70% for a few weeks and then down to 65%. I heard that dramatic changes in humidity can case some wrappers to crack. I don't know if you can call 10% dramatic but why risk it. I put the beads in dry and the humidity seems to be dropping about a percent per hour. When it hits the magic mark of 70% I am going to partially charge them. Wish me luck


Be aware that all you're reading is the moisture content of the air, NOT the tobacco. For tobacco, figure about 1% per week to stabilize the entire cigar at your desired set point.


----------



## RKiguana (Sep 28, 2013)

Herf N Turf said:


> Be aware that all you're reading is the moisture content of the air, NOT the tobacco. For tobacco, figure about 1% per week to stabilize the entire cigar at your desired set point.


True, and I am sure my cigars are acting like a bunch of delicious humidifiers. Been holding solid at 70% so I am not going to do anything. When it starts to drop naturally on its own I am going to put in the 65% RH beads dry and do the whole cycle over again. Thank you for all the great advise


----------



## baust55 (Sep 8, 2013)

After a cpl weeks my digital hygrometer was holding at 68% with a65% 9"x9" HF humidity sheet in the bottom and my medium HF 65% tube in the top tray . the beads were mostly clear ....oops .. so I switched the tube out for my other one I had that had mostly opaque beads to draw some moisture out . Hopefully it will balance out at 65% in a few days .

AUSTIN


----------



## mrnuke (Aug 24, 2013)

*No, not all RH beads are the same*

Sounds about right, though I would probably give it a couple extra weeks until everything is rock solid @65%. This time could also depend on the type of sticks you have and how fast they can release their excess moisture. Personally, if they smoke well, I wouldn't be worried.


----------



## baust55 (Sep 8, 2013)

I bought 4 different bundles of 20 cheapo everyday smokes that had good reviews and a few Cohibas about 83 cigars in the humidor is very full. ha ha


----------



## mrnuke (Aug 24, 2013)

Very full? It can never be too full brother. 

Adding a bunch of foreign sticks at once does seem to destabilize the RH. I've added about 40 robustos to my 40ct humi a little over a week ago. It was stable at about 65% before, then started climbing. I've had to dry the beads in the puck once. Right now the hygro on the lid reads 65%, and the one right on the sticks reads 65%-67%. I'm thinking the robustos were stored at 70%, and are now slowly releasing water.


----------



## RKiguana (Sep 28, 2013)

mrnuke said:


> Very full? It can never be too full brother.
> 
> Adding a bunch of foreign sticks at once does seem to destabilize the RH. I've added about 40 robustos to my 40ct humi a little over a week ago. It was stable at about 65% before, then started climbing. I've had to dry the beads in the puck once. Right now the hygro on the lid reads 65%, and the one right on the sticks reads 65%-67%. I'm thinking the robustos were stored at 70%, and are now slowly releasing water.


In cellophane or raw dawgin' it? I like to keep mine on because I like to go through and rotate my sticks so dont want to keep touching the wrappers but I am guessing it will slow down hydrating and dehydrating. Any thoughts?


----------



## mrnuke (Aug 24, 2013)

I store mine out of cello. With a bit of care, it's very hard to damage the wrappers. In my opinion, the cellophane gives a false sense of security. Keeping them naked also prompts me to handle the sticks with more respect.

There are a couple of circumstances when I use the cello. The first is when I receive dried sticks, and I want to slowly rehydrate them. I don't remove it at once, as I risk damaging the brittle wrapper. I store them in the cello for a few days before removing it. This is just enough to get the wrapper flexible enough to safely take the cello off. The second is when I run out of space, and have to store the extras in a travel case. I want to slow down the absorption of any plastic or foam aromas that may exist.

This is all opinion, so fell free to do as you feel most comfortable.


----------



## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

mrnuke said:


> Very full? It can never be too full brother.
> 
> Adding a bunch of foreign sticks at once does seem to destabilize the RH. I've added about 40 robustos to my 40ct humi a little over a week ago. It was stable at about 65% before, then started climbing. I've had to dry the beads in the puck once. Right now the hygro on the lid reads 65%, and the one right on the sticks reads 65%-67%. I'm thinking the robustos were stored at 70%, and are now slowly releasing water.


Not sure if you're aware of this, but any time you add a significant number of cigars, you're going to see a temporary rise in humidity. Reason being, you've effectively reduced the volume of air in the humidor, so there's less of it to hold the same amount of water gas. It will go back down shortly, unless the new cigars are over humidified.


----------



## mrnuke (Aug 24, 2013)

Well, the air takes the water vapour with it when it leaves the humidor, right? So I would still end up with the same water to air ratio, unless I add water to the remaining air. As you pointed out, overhumidified cigars will do this.

In the end, if the sticks smoke right, who cares? :ss


----------

